Coin or check dispenser



April 22, 1941. a. c. WAHL COIN 0R CHECK DISPENSER Filed Aug. 24,

1938 5 Sheets-Sheet l I Inventor JohzzC wall L Ami] 22, 1941. J. c. WAHLCOIN 0R CHECK DISPENSER Filed Aug. 24, 1938 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 wm hm. nw Qn Nvmw M mmv April 22, 1941.. J. c WAHL 2,239,434

com 0R canon nrsmzssa Filed Aug. 24, 1938 5 Sheet-Sheet 3 Even tor J01212 C Zl/alLL April 22, 1941. Q W 2,239,434 COIN OR CHECK DISPENSERFiled Aug. 24, 1938- 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 HUI fizz/e12 tor 29 @MQ @W kbm'Patented Apr. 22, 1941 COIN R CHECK DISPENSER John C. Wahl, Chicago,Ill., assignor to Lion Manufacturing Corporation, Chicago, 111., acorporation of Illinois Application August 24, 1938, Serial No. 225,437

13 Claims.

The invention relates to a slid-e type of coin, check or coupondispenser.

These mechanisms, useful with coin handling apparatus such aschange-makers, comprise a stack of horizontal, superimposed slidesformed with vertically alined openings that serve to hold a verticalcolumn of coins or .the like which are to be dispensed upon movement ofa selected slide or slides, taking them in order from the bottom up tovary the number of coins dispensed or ejected; it being understood thatwhen a slide shifts a coin, said coin is dropped by gravity through anoffset discharge opening.

More particularly the present invention relates to improvements for suchtype of dispenser; it being desirable to provide a simple fool-proofstructure capable of easy production at reasonable costs; to providenovel operating mechanism for the slides to overcome certaindifficulties heretofore encountered because the stack of coins in thealined slide openings did not remain in perfect column relationship; toprovide means preventing jamming of the slides because of coininequalities; and lastly, generally to improve the structure andoperation of these mechanisms.

The mainobject of the invention is to provide such a pay out devicehaving an improved construction of coin ejecting slides.

Another object isto provide an improved main, lower slide with means forconjointly setting for operation the other slides.

It is also an object to provide an improved guide means for the ejectorslides.

Another object is to provide an improved slide typ pay out device inwhich the slides are spring pulled when ejecting coins; improved meansbeing provided for cooking the slides preparatory to their operation, sothat a snappy cocking movement of the slides results and cannot drag thecolumn of coins and cause them by inertia to slough over and get out ofvertical line, such result being possible since the coin apertures inthe slides are of larger diameter than the coins.

Another object of the invention is to provide improved means forpreventing worn coins from accidentally jamming the slides as they arepulled to pay out position.

Other important objects will no doubt become known as the disclosure ismore fully made.

Briefly, the improved dispenser comprises a base plate on which iscarried for sliding movement. a lower or main pay out slide, andthereabove are positioned additional, independent pay out slides. Allslides have a coin receiving opening which openings aline vertically toretain a columnof coins or checks. Individual springs serve normally topull the respective slides to ejector or pay out position, whichposition is offsetfrom the position occupied by the vertical column ofcoins in the slides. Improved operating mechanism is initiated intoaction to engage a part on the lower slide which part extends upwardlythrough slots formed in the upper slides, said part being very suddenlymoved by the operating mechanism to shift all slides simultaneously to acooked position. This sudden movement keeps the coins in the column fromgetting out of vertical line, since the coin openings in the slides areof greater diameter than the coins. Thebottom slide is positively lockedin cocked position by a part of the operating mechanism, and the upperslides are individually locked by respective pivoted latch levers. Whenthe operating mechanism works, means forming part thereof causes releaseof the lower slide for spring pulled operation to dispensing position.The upper slides, considering them in order from the bottom up, may beselected for operation with the main lower slide when their respectivelatch levers have been released. In this manner the number of coins tobe dispensed can be varied. Such variation is further accomplished bysuitably varying the thickness of the coin moving ends of the-slides.Each slide has a novel spring detent means associated with it to preventaccidental trailing or sloughing off of an extra coin with the slidewhen it pays out to prevent jamming and damage. Incidental features arethe provision of slide guide means and the special sheet metal structureof the slides. So much will suflice for the time being in presenting ageneral understanding-of the improved structure, which is illustrated indetail in the accompanyingsheets of drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a general'side elevational view of the coin or checkdispenser, including the operating mechanism therefor;

Figure 2 is a similar view taken from the opposite side;

Figure 3 is an end view of the structure;

Figure 4 is a detail, plan view of the lower or main slide;

Figure 5 is a side detail, elevational view of the sameslide, lookingfrom the line 5-5 of Figure 4;

Figure 6 is a top plan view of the dispenser structure, per se;

Figure"? is a top plan View of the same structure with the cover plateremoved to expose the under parts;

Figure 8 is a plan view of an auxiliary dispenser slide;

Figure 9 is a side view of the same slide;

Figure 10 is an enlarged, plan sectional View of the auxiliary slidestructure, taken along the line Illl of Figure 9, looking in thedirection of the arrows;

Figure 11 is a cross sectional view through the slide structure takenalong the line ll-H of Figure 10, looking in the direction of thearrows; and,

Figure 12 is a section along line l2i2 of Fig ure 6, looking in thedirection indicated.

The improved mechanism, in practice, may be associated with a suitablehousing structure not shown, the pay out unit per se embodying a baseplate l which is generally elongated and rectangular, with opposite sideframes thereof comprising upright side walls Iii secured thereto. Thebase plate at one end is formed with a coin drop hole [1. Opposite edgeson the upper surface of the plate l5 are notched as at it.

Carried at the discharge end of said plate i5 are four corner posts [9and at the opposite end thereof is a single central post 29. Slidablymounted on the base plate is a main pay out slide 2| shown in Figure 4,the same having a large head 22 formed with a coin receiving hole 23 andat its opposite end are provided opposite ears carrying blocks 24,normally positioned proximate the notches iii in the base plate 15. Atits center, as seen in Figure 5, the slide carries a rigid bar formedwith an upstanding, sturdy post 25. The slide 2! is also formed with along slot 26 including an abutment shoulder 21. One wing 24 carries anupright pin 28 to which is connected a spring 29 having its other endconnected to a pin 33) mounted rigidly on the base plate 55. It will benoted that the post extends upwardly through the slot 2S in the mainslide 21 when the latter is in position on the base plate. The slide 2|also carries an abutment block 3|. This slide in practice may be of athickness at its end 22, equal to the thickness of three coins so thatits opening 213 may hold these three coins as will appear.

The corner posts [9 carry spacer collars 32 and side spacer bars 33, theheight of the collars being varied as desired properly to space a seriesof superimposed auxiliary pay out slides 34, all of the type shown inFigures 8 to 11, inclusive. In the present form, five of such slides areutilized.

Each slide 34 has an enlarged head portion 35 with'a coin hole 36therein and opposite guide ears 31 which fit in between the side spacerplates 33 in an obvious manner. Each slide 34 is of light weight sheetmetal construction and includes a long end slot" 33 with an abutmentnotch 39 to correspond with a similar conformation in the main or bottomslide 2!. Further, each slide 34 has a long central slot 411 throughwhich the post heretofore described extends upwardly. These slots 4! inall slides 34 register vertically. One side edge of each slide 3 has apair of spaced notches 4! and 42. Further,

each said slide 34 has a lateral apertured car 43 at the end remote fromits head end, and separate coil springs 44 connect respectively witheach said ear 43 and a post 55 carried on the base plate l5. The sideedges of the slots 38 guide in grooves formed in the post 253.

The head end of each slide 34 is specially constructed and includes acentral upstanding tang or nib portion 46 at the front edge of the coinhole 36. Auxiliary head plates 41 and 48 are fastened by rivets 49 or bywelding if desired, to the under side of the head part 35 as shown inFigures 9, l0 and 11. These extra plates have holes 36' formed in themin registration with the hole 35 in the slide 34, heretofore described.The hole 36 in the plate 43 as shown in Figures 10 and 11 has anextension slot 35 slightly wider than the width of the coins used. Onopposite sides of hole 36' each plate 4'! is notched as at 50 in whichopposite notches are positioned, fiat detent springs 5| having portionsprovided by an angle in them, to extend slightly intothe openings 36'and slot 36 in such a manner that the two opposed angle portions ineffect form yieldable obstructo-rs across the slot 36" and the front endof the holes 36. This space between the angle portions of the springs inthe slot 36" is less than the diameter of a coin handle, so that in theevent an extra, thin or worn coin has a tendency to creep along orslough off with the correct number of coins to be moved by a lower slidestructure in the payout movement thereof, it will have its movementyieldingly resisted and, in fact, stopped by these springs 5| in thenext preceding slide thereabove which is not released, so that suchextra coin will on the return or cooking stroke of the slide be pushedback into the column by the nib 45. Each notch 50 as clearly shown inFigure 10 has a lengthwise extension slot into which is respectivelysnap fitted the bent back leg portion of each spring 5i, thereby holdingthe springs 5| with a snap lit in the plate portion 41. This situationarises sometimes when a lower slide is moved to perform its dispensingoperation and then the springs 5| in the slide next thereabiove canfunction, as stated; that is, when such immediate upper slide is heldlocked and does not move to dispensing position. Thus on the payoutstroke the relieved portion or slot 36" permits a coin that is thin ortends to cook to enter the slot 36" to be yieldingly held by the springs5| 'and on the return stroke the nib 46 frees the yieldingly held coinand moves it back into the column. Each plate 41 on each auxiliary slideincludes a rigid front, slotted extension 52, the slots thereof beingcentrally located to form a space above each tang on the next lowerslide. This provides at all times for free relative sliding movementbetween adjacent slides.

Scme coins or checks due to wear are thinner than others so that whenstacked in column formation in the alined holes 3'6 they may not evenlyregister or line up with the slides, it being understood that each slidehead is of a thickness to handle its allotted number of normal thicknesscoins or checks when it cuts through the stack. If a thin coin is in thestack, then naturally coins thereabove will not truly register or lineup with the slides thereabove. For that reason it happens that a thincoin creeps along with the correct number of coins to be handled by aslide, as an extra coin, or due to misalinement of coins in the stackbecause of the presence therein of a worn coin, a normal thickness coincan be dragged along with a slide, thus creating the sloughing oifcondition, which the novel structure of this invention compensates toprevent jamming.

At the side of the pack of slides, the base l5 carries an upstandingguide bracket 53 shown in Figure 1, which bracket has spaced lengthwise,parallel slots 54 formed therein, the slots generally being spaced toconform to the spacing of the auxiliary slides 34. This guide brack etoccupies a position on the base I between the ends of the latter, asshown. At the end of the base, remote from the coin discharge endthereof and on the same side as the bracket 53, the base carries avertical shaft 55 with appropriate spacers 56 (see also Figure 7) forpivotally mounting intermediate their ends and in spaced relation, aseries of latching levers 51, which are horizontally disposed.

Each latch lever 51 has a hooked end 58 to which is attached a pullspring 59 in turn, connected to hook portions 68 on a bracket 6|rigidlymounted on the opposite side of the base I5. The

other portions of said levers 51 extend alongside the respective slides34 and include outwardly bent ends 82 extending respectively through theslots 54 in the bracket 53. In fact, the intermediate portion of eachlever 51 overlies a slide 34 as shown in Figure 7. Each such portion ofeach lever includes a downturned abutment or "boss 83 extending downinto the slot 38 of the with boss 3| of the slide 2! to act as a stop,said lever latch being pulled to engaging position by a spring 81connected between it and the base as seen in Figure 2. The opposite endof the lever 85 carries a cam 68.

The whole slide assembly is held together by a cover plate 89 shown inFigure 6, which plate is held down by screws I8 passed into the posts .I9 and 28, said plate having a coin receiving opening to register withthe holes 36 and 38', and also a slot II to register with the slots 48so that the slide cocking post 25 may extend up through the cover plate69. The discharge or front end of the cover 89 is cut out as at I2 andthe top slide 34 at said end carries an upstanding rigid bracket I3extending above the cover 69 for a purpose to appear.

The operating mechanism for the pay out structure will next bedescribed, reference especially being had to Figures 1, 2 and 3.

The sides I8 carry a cross shaft 14 on which is fixed for rockingmovement therewith, a bell crank lever in turn carrying a pin I8 adaptedto have connected thereto some suitable operating link, which in a wellknown manner may form a part of a coin operated machine with which thedispenser structure of this invention may be used. Such machine isdisclosed in Mills Patent No. 1,912,992 of June 6, 1933. The other endof said bell crank I5 carries another pin H which cooperates with andfits into a notch I8 Said lever I9 also has an arm 82 connected thereto,the spring holding theloose lever 84 pressed against the boss 8| onlever I9. The lever 84 has a downwardly extended tail portion 85positioned to cooperate with the upright post 25 of the main slide 2| ina manner presently to appear. One end of the shaft 88 also has made fastthereto a depending lever 88 positioned to cooperate with the cam 68 onthe lever latch 85.

A third cross shaft 81 is journaled in the sides I6 for both rocking andaxially shifting movement, the means accomplishing the axial shiftingmovement being well known and part of the coin operated machine, notshown. Secured 'to the shaft 81 to move therewith is a depending leverarm 88 having an arcuate tail portion formed with steps 89 (Figure 1),there being one notch or step portion for each end 52 of the respectivelatch levers 51. When the shaft 81 rocks normally this stepped arm 88swings clear of the tails 82 on the. levers 51; but when the shaft 81 isshifted axially then the steps 89 will engage one or more tails 82 torelease the levers 51 de-. pending upon the extent of rocking movementof lever 88. In this fashion release of the pay out slides iscontrolled. The ends 82 form a vertical column which ends may berespectively engaged by the steps 89. Thus axial movement of the steps88 will effect release of any slide, it being understood that all slidesbelow the released slide would be released at the same time.

One side member l8 carries a hinge pin 90 (see Figure 3) on which ispivoted a large bell crank lever having a long upstanding arm 9I with apin 92 thereon, and a long rearwardly extending arm 93 having a notch 94therein and an abutment portion 95 at its free end. This completes thedetails of the description and the operation of the improved mechanismwill next be given.

The arm 93 constitutes a lock arm in that its end 95 engages the boss 24on the main slide 2I and holds it locked. When the coin operated machineis properly coin released, means not shown, but well known in the artwill push on pin 92to raise the arm 93 to free the slide 2I. At the sametime some part of the machine will rock the shaft 14 and swing the bellcrank 15 in the direction of the arrow in Figure 2, causing the pin TIto rock the lever I9 with the shaft 80. The arm 82 therefore pulls onspring 83 to stretch same. At the same time the stop boss 8I moves awayfrom the upper part of the loose lever 84. Next the tail 85 of thislever abutting the upright post 25 presses thereagainst with increasingforce asthe tension of spring 83 increases, but the slide 2| carryingthe post 25 cannot be moved by the tail 85 since the slide 2I is lockedby the latch 88 engaging the block 3|. At the same time the arm 88 turnswith the shaft 80. When the spring 83 has been properly tensioned thearm 86 has reached a, position where it strikes the cam 68 to releasethe latch 86 from the slide 2| as well as from the notches II in all ofthe upper slides 34.

With all slides now released and the lever 85 bearing strongly againstthe post 25 the slides 2I and 34 as a group are forcibly and quicklydriven to cocked position, which position is shown in Figures 1 and 2,because the post 25 engages in the end of the slots 49 to move allslides together. When the slides are all in fully cooked position theportions 83 on the latches hook over the respective shoulders 21 and asof the slides to hold the slides latched in such cocked positions. I Atthis time all of the springs 44 and 29 are stretched.

As hasbeen said the coins are in a vertical column in the alined holes36, 33 and 23 in the respective slides, the bore thus formed through thepack of slides being of greater diameter than the diameter of an alinedstack of the coins in said bore. In other words, the coins are smallerin diameter than the coin receiving holes in the slides. Such stack ofcoins rests on the base plate l5 as can be understood from the showingin Figure 12. The snappy cocking action of the drive force on thesuddenly released lower slide post 25 has the efiect of overcoming anylag or inertia tendency of the stack of coins so that they move cleanlyas a column without sloughing over or dragging. This prevents cocking ofcoins in the coin slide holes and serves in a great measure to preventjamming when ejector or dispensing action takes place. When the slideshave all been cooked in their shifted position, as described, theoperating parts l5, I8, 8 1 and 86 return to inoperative position readyfor a subsequent operation.

The release of the slides 2i and 34 from the bottomup, in successiveorder depends upon the operation of the stepped memberBQ which rockswith the shaft 87. These steps 89 serve when the member carrying same isaxially shifted with said shaft 81 to engage and push against the tails62 of the latch levers 51, whereby to move said levers inwardly torelease the parts 63 thereof from the notch in the slides. This permitsthe drive spring 29 for the lower slide and the springs as for the upperslides to pull said slides to dispensing position over the hole I! inthe base It to drop the moved coins from the pay out device. tioning ofthe stepped member 89 is well known in the art and forms no part of thepresent invention, it being sufilcient to say that its steps when inposition in relation to the latch lever tails 62 engage the tails andpush same inwardly in successive order from the bottom upwardlydepending upon how many of the coin ejecting slides it is determinedshall be operated. If a slide higher up in the stack is released thenall those below it will be released at the same time. Each slide in thisdisclosure at its coin carrying end is of a thickness to move threecoins from the stack. The pay out stroke of each slide is limited by theend of the slots 26 and 38 striking the guide post 26.

In the event a worn, thin coin tries to slough off between a movingslide and the locked slide immediately thereabove, the springs 5| andtang or nib 4,6 act to prevent such result, thereby further preventingcoins from jamming. After one or more slides have been released todispensing operation in order from the bottom up, the slides have to bereset to cocked position by again op- 'erating the coin machinemechanism disposed above the pay out device in the manner previouslydescribed.

When all slides are successively released to pay out position includingthe top slide 34, then the bracket i3 is moved to engage some auxiliarymeans not shown for any purpose desired.

From the description above given it will now be clear that an improvedstructure for the purposes stated has been provided. It is the intentiontocover herein all changes and modifications which do not depart fromthe spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the followingclaims.

'What is claimed is:

1. In a coin dispenser, a base, a main slide and auxiliary slides, saidslides arranged in a stack The funcand having registerable coinreceiving openings to contain a column of coins supported on the base,the lower slide carrying an upright post passed through registered slotsformed in the auxiliary plates, individual springs tending to pull therespective slides toward a pay out opening formed in the base offsetfrom the column of coins, means to engage the post to move same with allthe slides to a cooked position with the springs tensioned, means forindividually latching the slides in such position, and means forindividually releasing any slide and slides as may be below it to causesaid slides to move coins to the pay out opening.

2. In a coin dispenser, a base, a main slide and auxiliary slidesarranged on the base in a stack with the main slide at the bottom andall slides having alinable coin holding openings to receive a column ofcoins tanding on the base adjacent an offset discharge opening in saidbase, an upright post carried on the main slide and the other slideshaving slots to receive the post, springs tending to pull the slidestoward the ofiset opening, other slots formed in the slides including anotched part, latch members yieldingly respectively engageable in saidlatter part to hold the slides in a cooked position with the springsstretched, and means engageable with the post to move the main andauxiliary slides to their cocked latched position.

3. In a coin dispenser, a base, a main slide and auxiliary slidesarranged on the base in a stack with the main slide at the bottom andall slides having alinable coin holding openings to receive a column ofcoins standing on the base adjacent an ofiset discharge opening in saidbase, an upright post carried on the main slide and the other slideshaving slots to receive the post, springs tending to pull the slidestoward the offset opening, each slide having an abutment shoulder formedthereon, pivoted latch members carried on the base and having portionsengageable with the shoulders respectively to hold the slides in acooked position with the springs stretched, and means engageable withthe post to move the slides together to their cocked latched position.

4. A coin dispenser having a base, a stack of horizontal slides havingalinable coin holding openings surrounding a column of coins on the baseoffset from a discharge opening formed therein, the lower slide havingan upright post passed up through slots formed in the slides thereabove,springs for pulling the slides toward the discharge opening, means tomove the post and all slides therewith to a position away from thedischarge opening to stretch the springs, and means releasably latchingthe slides in the latter position.

5. A coin dispenser having a base, a stack of horizontal slides havingalinable coin holding openings surrounding a column of coins on the baseoffset from a discharge opening formed therein, the lower slide havingan upright post passed up through slots formed in the slides thereabove,springs for pulling the slides toward the discharge opening, means tomove the post and all slides therewith to a position away from thedischarge opening to stretch the springs, means releasably latching theslides in the latter position, each slide having another slot therein,said latter slots registering in the several slides, and a guide post onthe base passed through said latter slots to guide the slides and holdsame in fixed relative positions.

6. A coin dispenser having a base, a stack of horizontal slides havingalinable coin holding openings surrounding a column of coins on the baseoffset from a discharge opening formed therein, the lower slide havingan upright post passed up through slots formed in the slides thereabove,springs for pulling the slides toward the discharge opening, means tomove the post and all slides therewith to a position away from thedischarge opening to stretch the springs", means releasably latching theslides in the latter position, each slide having guide slots formedtherein adjacent one end and an enlarged head at the other end withlateral opposite extensions, a guide post fixed on the base and passedthrough the guide slots, and other guide means cooperating with thelateral extensions to guide the said other end of the slides.

7. A coin dispenser having a base and a stack of slides carried thereonwith springs tending to pull same to a coin discharge position, thebottom slide having a post cooperable with the other slides so that whenthe bottom slide is moved away from discharge position the other slidesmove therewith to stretch all the springs, means releasably locking thebottom slide, spring power trigger means movable to store energy whilebearing against the post with the lower slide locked, means to releasethe lock and lower slide to cause the trigger means sharply to snap theslides together to a cooked spring stretching position, and meansreleasably to latch all slides in such position.

8. A coin dispenser having a base and a stack of slides carried thereonwith springs tending to pull same to a coin discharge position, thebotreleasably locking the bottom slide, spring power i trigger meansmovable to store energy while bearing against the post with the lowerslide locked, means to release the lock and lower slide to cause thetrigger means sharply to snap the slides together to a cooked springstretching position, means to guide the slides and limit their movement,and a bank of spring pulled latch levers carried on the base andrespectively cooperating with the slides to hold same releasably in thecocked positions.

9. In a coin dispenser, a base, a main slide and auxiliary slides, saidslides arranged in a stack and having registerable coin receivingopenings to contain a column of coins supported on the base, the lowerslide carrying an upright post passed through registered slots formed inthe auxiliary plates, individual springs tending to pull the respectiveslides toward a pay out opening formed in the base offset from thecolumn of coins, means releasably locking the lower slide, meanscomprising a spring power lever engaging the post and movablethereagainst with increasing pressure, means releasing the lowerv slidesharply to move same under such pressure with the upper slides movingtherewith to a cocked position, and means releasably to latch all slidesin the latter position.

10. A slide for pay out devices comprising an elongated plate having anenlarged head at one end with a coin moving hole formed in the head, alateral extension at the other end, an elongated slot being formed inthe slide at said latter end, and a post secured to the slide betweenthe slot and hole, said slot having an abutment shoulder formed thereinand one side edge of the slide having a notch therein.

11. A slide for pay out devices comprising an elongated plate having anenlarged head formed with oppositely extending guide wings, the platehaving two elongated slots therein arranged end to end in spacedrelation, a side edge of the plate having a notch formed therein and oneof the slots being formed with an abutment shoulder.

12. A coin dispenser comprising a stack of slides having springs tendingto pull same to dispensing position, each slide having a slot formedwith an abutment portion, a bank of pivoted latch members carriedadjacent the slides and having means cooperable with the abutmentportions to lock the slides in a cooked spring stretching position, andmeans comprising a member rockable about and shiftable along an axis toengage and release the latch members for free-' ing any slide with anyslide or slides that may be below it in the stack so that the saidslides may be moved to dispensing positions.

:13. A coin dispenser comprising a base and frame, said base carrying astack of slides having springs tending to pull same to dispensingposition, an upright member "on the lower slide engageable with all theother slides, means to lock the lower slide, a shaft carried in theframe, a lever on the shaft to engage the member, and means for applyingincreasing pressure on the member while the lower slide is locked, meansto release the lower slide whereby the said lever under its pressuresharply moves the lower slide and other slides with it to a cookedspring tensioning position, and means to lock the slides in the latterposition.

JOHN C. WAHL.

